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“Sales doesn’t have to be complicated,”

If that sounds like the advice you’ve been needing to hear, you should have a chat with Emily Deacon: sales expert and professional fan-girl of impact start-ups.

She prioritises relationship-building over complex strategies when working with founders selling products with a purpose. Sales can feel extra overwhelming when you’re an impact-driven founder, but the key isn’t just selling harder, it’s building trust.

Here are 3 mindset shifts to boost sales for your sustainable products:

➕ Focus on problem-solving, not just selling
Instead of saying, “Our product is sustainable,” ask, “Are your customers asking for eco-friendly options?”

🔭 Target the right buyers
Not every retailer is a good fit, ask yourself if they already stock similar products? Are their customers aligned with your audience? Prioritise retailers who want what you offer.

✒️ Craft a winning outreach message
A generic “Hey, we’d love to stock in your shop” probably won't cut it. Personalise your approach by mentioning their brand values, highlight how you solve their pain points, and make it easy to say yes.

Read the rest of Emily's tips and watch the full replay of her session here

News

• Nature under threat as sustainable farming funding slashed 
• The EU has launched a protein diversification strategy to boost-plant based products and reduce reliance on imports
• Aerosol pollution's cooling effect may be masking the true extent of global warming

Deals and Fundraising 

🥓 $11 million for Ecovative to scale production of its mycelium-based MyBacon and expand into foodservice. Yum.

🍴   €3.5 million for Fiberdom in Finland replace single-use plastics with durable, compostable alternatives like its already commercialised single-use cutlery.

🧼  Colgate-Palmolive is partnering with NoPalm Ingredients to make a a sustainable soap bar from food waste and a palm-oil derivative

Conversation and Inspiration

👗 Trumps Tariffs could close a fast fashion loophole that Shein and Temu have exploited for years

🎯 To grow your brand, narrow your target audience - a top article from Embedded brands

🛒StartupCPG launches its Investor Database for the go-to list of consumer product investment leads

🐾 Do you know your pets carbon pawprint? The environmental impact of pet food could surprise you

🦠 These UK researchers are using biology to help digest plastic. Will their search for planet-saving enzymes pay off? 

Wishing you a sunny week 

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